Category Archives: berroco

Easy Summer Knits: Tip Top Tank & Ankler’s Summer Shirt

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A pink knitted tank top with a deep V neckline and wide straps, hanging on a wooden hanger against a light background.

Tip Top Tank

This FREE tank top is designed to be an easy summer knit, and is the perfect simple project for warmer weather. The deep V neck is flattering to wear without being too revealing, and the straps are wide enough to hide your bra straps (hello practical!). Throw it on with shorts or a breezy skirt on a hot day, pair it with jeans in Autumn, or even make up a woolly version to wear as a vest over shirts in the cooler months.

The pattern includes instructions to knit it flat on straight needles, as well as in the round on circulars (woohoo no seams!). And with clear and simple instructions, both options would be suitable for first-time garment knitters who have tackled the basics of knitting and purling, and are up for learning some fun new techniques! The body is knit from the bottom up, and the length is easily customizable with suggestions for a cute crop as well as a longer version, making it a fantastic wardrobe staple.

Light green knitted tank top with wide straps tied in bows, displayed on a wooden hanger against a neutral background, with a greenery plant in the frame.

Size

  • XS (S, SM, M, ML, L, XL, XXL)
  • To Fit Bust: 76 (82, 88, 93, 99, 105, 112, 120) cm / 30 (32, 34.5, 36.5, 39, 41, 44, 47) inches
  • Finished Bust: 76 (82, 88, 93, 99, 105, 112, 120) cm / 30 (32, 34.5, 36.5, 39, 41, 44, 47 inches.
  • Designed to fit with approximately 0-2cm / 0-3/4” of positive ease depending on preferred fit.
  • Pictured here in size SM worn with zero ease at bust, and cropped length.
A person wearing a cropped pink tank top with a deep V neck, standing next to a green potted plant.

Yarn

Other Materials

A young woman wearing a light-colored short-sleeve top, black jeans, and sandals, walking along a sidewalk near construction fencing and overgrown grass.

Ankler’s Summer Shirt

I figured we can all use something to look forward to, and the seasons’ changing is one of those things you can always bank on (at least in Canada – we have A LOT of weather). Anker’s Summer Shirt is a simple summer top, worked in one piece from the top down. The yoke is worked in sections of rib with increases in the round, followed by classic raglan increases when the stockinette stitch section begins. The sleeves are worked at the end, either on double-pointed needles or on circular needles using the Magic Loop technique. Anker’s Summer Shirt has no finishing other than weaving in ends.

SEE FINISHED PROJECTS

A woman holding a baby sits on a beach, both dressed in summer attire. The woman is wearing a light-colored knitted top, while the baby is in a brown knitted outfit and a hat. They are surrounded by a beach scene with water and other people in the background.
Photo: PetiteKnit

Size

  • XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 3XL
  • To fit a bust circumference of 80-85 (85-90) 90-95 (95-100) 100-110 (110-120) 120-130 cm [31½-33½ (33½-35½) 35½-37½ (37½-39¼) 39¼-43¼ (43¼-47¼) 47¼-51¼ inches].
  • Total length: 52 (54) 56 (60) 62 (62) 64 cm [20½ (21¼) 22 (23½) 24½ (24½) 25¼ inches]
  • Sleeve length: 9 (9) 10 (10) 10 (10) 10 cm [3½ (3½) 4 (4) 4 (4) 4 inches]
  • Ease: The shirt is designed to have approx. 0-5 cm – [0-2 inches] – of positive ease, meaning it is designed to be 0-5 cm – [0-2 inches] larger in circumference than your widest upper body measurement.
  • Measurements: The measurements for the finished garment are on the front page of the pattern (note that these measurements are only achieved if the correct gauge is kept). Before beginning your project, measure yourself with a measuring tape around your bust (or your widest upper body part) to determine which size will fit you the best. For example, if you measure 95 cm [37½ inches] you should knit a size M. A size M shirt has a finished circumference of 96 cm [37¾ inches], which in the given example would mean 1 cm [½ inches] of positive ease.

Yarn Options

Anker’s Summer Shirt is make with a Double Knitting weight yarn, and any of the following are all great choices, depending on what kind of garment you want.

Needles & Etc

Because there are several needles length required, this project is a good candidate for Interchangeable knitting needles. Also, if you aren’t great with double pointed needles you can substitute Chiaogoo 12″ circular needles or Addi Easy Knit 10″ needles.

A split image showing two variations of a summer top. The left side features a light beige knitted shirt with a round neckline and short sleeves, while the right side displays a similar shirt in a slightly different color, worn by a person holding a pottery cup and knitting needles.

Simple Summer Tweed Sweater Pattern for All Seasons

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A person wearing a light blue knitted sweater with long sleeves, standing with hands in pockets against a neutral background.

Simple Summer Tweed

The Simple Summer Tweed sweater is a great, simple all-season pullover for beginner knitters. Berroco Remix Light holding 2 strands together on 5.5mm/US9 needles (I tested the tension on one of my little sweater-swatches in the store). The pattern is written as a women’s v-neck, but it also has instructions for a crew neck and adjustments for men’s sizing.

Berroco Remix Light is a soft, machine-washable, eco-friendly yarn. It doesn’t contain any animal fibres, so it’s great for wearing all year, and perfect for people who are allergic to wool. For this project you should hold 2 strands together, which is actually pretty easy, you just take 1 strand from each ball. Because remix light has a light, tweedy texture, the strands blend together almost seamlessly and you can’t see them. Berroco Remix Light also has EXTREMELY good yardage (twice the average yardge for similar weight yarns), so you won’t need an absolute ton of it.

Description

Simple Summer Tweed is a very basic, top-down raglan with almost no seaming required. Includes sizing/shaping for both men and women, and (despite its name) a crew-neck variation as well. It is designed to be a casual, loose fit, but could easily be made more fitted by increasing the waist shaping rows and choosing a size that fits more closely. The neck trim can also be left off for a more open v-neck.

Notes

The pattern is Free, but it’s low on frills, and you need to keep track of your raglan increases at the same time as your v-neck increases, so you might want to put the instructions into a spreadsheet before you cast-on (or write it out in long-hand).

A person wearing a light blue knitted sweater with a V-neck design, seen from the shoulders up.

Size

  • XS (S M L) [XL XXL XXXL]
  • Finished chest/bust: 32 (36, 40, 44) [48, 52, 56] OR 80 (90, 100, 110) [120, 130, 140] cm

Materials

Note

  • The yardage amounts are for the women’s v-neck sweater. For a crew neck version you will need a little bit more.
  • For a men’s sweater, you will need about 15% more for extra length: Berroco Remix Light (holding 2 strands together): 5, (5, 6, 7) [7, 8, 9] balls
A woman wearing a light gray sweater sits on a bed with blue pillows, next to a blue elephant plush toy.

SABAI Top Knitting Pattern | Ideal for Beginners | Knit with Sandes Garn Line

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Sabai

The SABAI top is a light and airy summer top with a boat neckline. It’s super easy to knit, requires only a few techniques and is therefore ideal for beginners. You can make it with the ribbed collar or just stocking stitch for a simpler rolled edge. I recommend using a DK weight cotton blend like Sandnes Garn Line, for a light, cool, easily washable summer knit.

Construction

The SABAI top is worked seamlessly top down. First, the neckline border is worked in the round in a 1/1 rib stitch pattern and increases are worked for the slanted shoulders. For the armholes, front and back parts are worked separately back and forth. The stitches of front and back are then joined and worked in the round again. The top ends with a narrow ribbed border with a rolled edge. As the top is knitted from the top down, it is possible (and advisable) to try it on while knitting so that the length can be individually adjusted.

Techniques used: left- and right leaning knitted and purled increases.

Size

  • XS (S) M (L) XL (XXL)
  • To fit chest circumference: 74-81 (82-89) 90-97 (98-107) 108-117 (118-127) cm / 30-32
    (33-35) 36-38 (38-42) 43-46 (47-50)”
  • Finished Chest circumference: 85 (91) 99 (109) 121 (131) cm / 33.4 (35.8) 39 (42.9) 47.6
    (51.6)”
  • The top can be worn snug with approx. 0 – 2 cm / 0 – 0.8” positive ease, but also works well with a little more room to move (5 – 8 cm / 2 – 3.2” positive ease). For example, if you have a chest circumference of 90 cm / 35.4”, you should choose between size S and M.
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Materials

Other Yarn Options

Create a Stylish Tote: Tide Loop Bag

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Tide Loop Bag

The The Tide Loop Bag is a pretty, slightly textured knit that will look great with all your summer outfits. It’s worked on 5mm/US8 needles using 2 strand held together to get a denser, sturdier fabric (which you kinda need for a bag). You can hold 2 strands of the same colour together, or mix a couple of colours to create a depth of colour and to add to the texture. My favourite yarn for this project would be Berroco Remix Light because it knits so well holding two strands together, but there are lots of other options, you aren’t limited.

Construction

The Tide Loop Bag pattern includes a tote bag and a beach bag with an organic structure inspired by sand ripples on the seabed, which become visible after the outgoing loop of the tidal wave. The beautiful change gives a light breeze and is naturally elegant.

The Tide Loop Bag is knitted from the bottom up. Begin by casting on stitches for the bottom with Judy’s magic cast on. Knit in the round with increases to shape the bottom of the bag while knitting the structure pattern according to the chart. To avoid too many purl stitches, knit the bag from the wrong side. The work is concluded with a handle, which is knitted seamlessly as an extension of the bag, just like the rest of the work is sewing-free.

Size

  • 1 (2)
  • Width_ 36 (46) cm
  • Height_ 39 (39) cm

Yarn Options

You’ve got a lot of options for making this bag! My favourite is Berroco Remix Light because it knits so well holding two strands together. But there are lots of other options:

Other Materials

  • Circular needles 5 mm – 24″/60 AND min. 47″/120 cm (or use 2 circular needles)
  • Circular needles 4.5 mm – 24″/60 cm.
  • PATTERN

Lacey Loop Tee: Perfect for Summer Knitting

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Lacey Loop Tee

One of the tops I’ve seen trending lately is the Lacey Loop Tee by Other Loops. The Lacey Loop Tee has a loose fit, a classic round neck and is detailed with stripes consisting of purl stitches, a feminine eyelet pattern and a unique ribbing edge. You can make this classic top in Berroco Modern Cotton or Sandnes Garn Line for a comfortable summer knit!

Construction

The t-shirt is worked from top to bottom. First stitches are cast on for the back piece, which is worked back and forth with short rows to shape the upper back. Then stitches are picked up along the shoulder edges and the shoulders are worked back and forth individually. The two shoulders are joined for the front by casting on stitches mid-front. The front and back piece are then joined, and the body is worked in the round and finished with a ribbing edge consisting of eyelets and purl stitches. Neck stitches are picked up around the neckline and the neck is worked in the round in ribbing. To create a nice finish, the last four rounds are worked in double knitting, followed by Italian bind off. Sleeve stitches are picked up around the armholes and sleeves are worked in the round. Stripes are created with purl stitches and eyelets according to a chart across the whole t-shirt. The first part of the pattern describes the chart row-for-row.

Size

  • XS (S) M (L) XL (XXL)
  • Finished Bust Circumference: 109 (116) 120 (125) 131 (138) cm.
  • Length: 52 (52) 52 (57) 57 (57) cm, measured from under the neckline on the back piece.
  • The t-shirt has a positive ease of 25-30 cm which gradually decreases for the larger sizes.
  • The t-shirt shown is size S with a positive ease of 30 cm.

YARN OPTIONS

NEEDLES

In Berroco Modern Cotton:

In Sandnes Garn Line:

SUMMER STORE HOURS Start Now!

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Summer Store Hours

The weather is FINALLY gorgeous, so it’s time to shift to our summer store hours … starting MAY 31st we will be closed on Sundays:

May 20 to Sept 8, 2024:

Monday to Saturday: 12 pm to 6pm

Pyramid

Since summer weather is starting, here’s a summer tee for your summer knitting & wearing – Pyramid! Pyramid is a seamless tee worked from the top down; and you can easily adjust the length of both the sleeves and the body. It comes with a finished bust size from 86.5 cm / 34 inches to 158.5 cm / 62.5 inches, and is designed to be worn with 10-12 cm / 4-4.75 inches positive ease.

NOTE: the tension of this pattern is a bit loose, so you might want to wear it with a cami under it. If you want to go down needles size and knit it at the yarns normal tension I suggest making a size larger in the pattern.

See Finished Projects

Size

  • Sizes 1 (2, 3, 4) {5, 6, 7, 8}
  • Finished chest circumference: 86.5 (97, 107, 117.5) {127.5, 138, 148.5, 158.5} cm / 34 (38, 42.25, 46.25) {50.25, 54.25, 58.5, 62.5} inches
  • This garment is intended to be worn with about 10-12 cm / 4-4.75 inches positive ease.
  • Shown in size 1, modeled with 10 cm / 4 inches of positive ease.

Materials

Alternate Yarn

To get a bit of texture, you can also use 2 strands of Berroco Remix Light held together: 2 (2 to 3, 3, 3) {3, 3, 4, 4} balls

Update on the Zeme (Earth) Sweater

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Zeme (Earth) Sweater

A little while ago I shower you my personal project, the Zeme (Earth) Sweater by Linda Skuja, and I feel like it;s time for an update! I’m sorry it’s taking me so long, I haven’t had as much time at night to focus on it and my progress has been slower. By the way, it;s not the pattern, it’s me, if you’ve got time you should make your way through it easily, I just needed to get new glasses and a bit more sunlight!

Mods

I’ve made some modifications as I’ve gone along, and I included everything in my Ravelry notes for both of us.

  • I’m using a smaller hook than the pattern calls for because the finished sweater is pretty oversized (and make it harder for myself) – so CAVEAT, my tension is NOT matching the pattern and I’m screwing around with the pattern a little (see my Ravelry notes). I’m using Berroco Remix Light, which is super light and delicate, and it’s working up beautifully with a little bit of texture. I’ll only use 3 balls for the smallest size. If you DO NOT want to jump through the hoops of screwing with around with the tension I suggest using the 5mm crochet hook recommended in the pattern. You can also use a slightly thicker yarn like Sandnes Garn Line.
  • I’m using a thinner yarn and hook, so my size has come out smaller. This is fine through the body since the style is oversized, but the arms were a bit too tight for me. I’m following the Size 1 instructions for the body, but I adapted the sleeve instructions for Size 2.
  • I made the body shorter to a slightly cropped length since I’ll be wearing it with my little summer pants and skirts. I skipped a few rows on the bottom section and went straight to the ribbing. It is VERY easy to make it longer or shorter, there are instructions in the pattern and you can try it on as you go.

Observations

I’m learning to count my stitches at the end of each round. When the count is off it make a big difference moving forward, and I’d rather rip out one round than several. Locking stitch markers have always been my friend, but we have become especially close on this project. I use them to count my stitches and the two colours help me keep track of which stitches are which.

Before I started the the sleeves I tried it on and I gotta say, if you like knit or crochet tees it works perfectly without the sleeves, you could skip them completely.

When I started I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the techniques in the pattern, but they really haven’t been a problem. I initially made a youtube playlist for the skills I was a bit iffy on, but the pattern has good written instructions and the only video I’ve ended up using was the first, the foundation single crochet (which I’ve honestly always needed a video to do, I can never remember how to do it without instructions). If you feel like you want to make something similar it but need more video support, the designer has a different sweater she teaches in her online Madara Domestika Sweater course.

PROJECT Satawal Top

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Satawal

Satawal is a cropped tee with a simple lace pattern around a boat neck, which looks a bit like a Macramé texture. You can use various weights of yarn, from fingering weight for airy and transparent texture to worsted weight yarn for mid season garment (we used Berroco Modern Cotton on 6mm/US10 needles).

Our Project

We made the second size (size small) with 2 skeins of Berroco Modern Cotton in colour 1648 Abbot Run). It measures approximately 20″ wide (40″ bust circumference) and 20″ tall from top of shoulder to hem (you can of course make it longer if you want to). If you feel like the neck is too wide you can always seam it and make it a closer neck. The fabric has a lot of stretch, and at this tension you’ll probably want to wear it over a light camisole. It’s meant to be worn loose and oversized, with lots of ease!

Modern Cotton is a soft, easy to knit, and very machine washable blend of cotton and Modal Rayon (which is viscose, a plant based cellulose fibre, much like bamboo). It’s easy to wear in warmer weather, and it’s also great for people with allergies to wool or other animal fibres, or who knit vegan.

Many thanks to Erica for whipping up this beautiful top!!! And many thanks to Gru for sitting for photos without having to be bribed or making a mess.

Construction

The pattern is worked seamlessly from the top down. The lace pattern for the yoke is worked in the round with increases at the both right and left shoulders, then the body is divided into the front and the back and worked flat separately to the underarm, where they are joined again. The lower body is knitted in one piece in the round. Sleeve stitches are picked up along armholes and worked in the round.

Note

Size

  • XS (S, M1, M2, L)( XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL)
  • To fit an actual bust circumference of: 81 (86, 92, 97, 103)(109, 115, 120,126) cm / 32 (34, 36, 38, 41)(43, 45, 47, 50)”
  • Finished bust circumference: 94 (100, 106, 111, 117)(123, 129, 131, 134) cm / 37 (39¼, 41½, 43¾, 46)(48¼, 50½, 51¼, 52¼)”

Materials

PROJECT Ranunculus in Remix Light

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Ranunculus

We worked up this little top (Ranunculus) as an experiment to see how far we could stretch one skein of Berroco Remix Light – it turns out it can go the distance! Remix Light is a very popular little sprig and summer yarn that ticks a lot of boxes:

  • It’s very light and has double the yardage of an average cotton summer yarn (100g/400m)
  • It’s machine washable
  • It’s soft and comfortable to wear
  • It’s comfortable and easy to work with
  • It’s eco-friendly, and made from a blend of recycled fibres: Cotton, Linen, Silk, Acrylic, and Nylon.
  • It’s made in the first world (France), so no slave labour involved, just unionized, properly paid EU workers
  • It’s affordable and only costs $16.47/ball

We made the smallest size in the short sleeve and it only took ONE ball. Most of the sizes, long and short-sleeved, use two balls … making it a VERY affordable project. The pattern has instructions for both a short and a long sleeve version, and it is knit from the top-down, so you can make your sleeves any length you want.

Size

We made the short-sleeved version in Size 1 on 5.5mm/US9 & 4.5mm/US7 needles, and the combination of the needle size and the unique qualities of the yarn’s fibres made ours come out smaller than the pattern. Our tension was 18 sts & 26 rows = 4″/10cm (un-stretched) – this is a big difference to the pattern, which is a gauge of 14 sts & 20 rows = 4″/10cm.

Our garment ended up smaller than the pattern specifications: it measures 18″ across the chest (36″ bust) and 16″ high from the back of the neck to the bottom ribbing … a big drop from the pattern’s 46″ bust circumference. That said, I’m extremely happy with the finished project! It’s am amazing little top, and the size is just right for someone who wears a size XS or S. The fit is cropped, and after trying it on I’d say it’s a roomy fitting size small, or oversized XS. The fabric is very stretchy, it has a lot of give and a surprising amount of memory! It is very light and doesn’t have a ton of drape. We used the majority of 1 skein of yarn, and only had about 3g left (we used approx. 375m, or 5m more than the pattern suggested).

If you choose to follow our lead and use the yarn & needle combo we did (and your tension is the same) you can probably estimate the size will come out 20% smaller than the pattern recommends (ours was 22% smaller), so multiply the finished size by 0.78 got get a good idea of where yours will end up (see the measurements in bold below, I did the math for you).

  • 1 (2, 3, 4)(5, 6, 7)(8, 9, 10, 11)
  • Pattern’s Finished bust circumference: 117 (123, 129, 134) (140, 146, 151)(157, 166, 174, 180) cm / 46 (48.5, 50.75, 52.75)(55, 57.5, 59.5)(61.75, 65.25, 68.5, 70.75)”
  • Our Finished Bust Circumference (corrected to 18 sts/4″): 36(38, 40, 41.25)(43, 45, 46.5)(48.25, 51, 53.5, 55.25)”

Yarn

We used Berroco Remix Light, a very light and airy bend of recycled plant and synthetic fibres – perfect for warm weather! Because we used up a good amount of our yarn, I have factored that into the yardage suggestions below and leaned on the side of caution so you won’t run out.

Remix Light has a light, nubbly, tweedy texture, which lends itself perfectly to this particular project. See finished Ranunculi made with Berroco Remix Light.

Berroco Remix Light:

  • Short sleeve: 1(2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2, 2) balls
  • Long sleeve: 2 (2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2)(2, 3, 3, 3) balls

Other Great Spring & Summer Yarn Options

The pattern is written to be knit in a variety of yarn weights, from Lace to Worsted. Ideally, you want a solid or semi-solid coloured yarn, or a yarn that knits up in a very long, gradual ombre colourway, so you can see the details in the lace and textured stitches. The thinner the yarn, the lacier the sweater will be (yarn thickness goes from the thinnest at lace weight, then fingering, then DK, then worsted).

Berroco Modern Cotton (worsted weight – see finished projects):

  • Short sleeve: 2(3, 3, 3)(3, 3, 3)(4, 4, 4, 4)
  • Long sleeve: 3 (3, 3, 4)(4, 4, 4)(5, 5, 5, 5)

Berroco Modern Cotton DK (DK weight):

  • Short sleeve: 2(2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2)(2, 3, 3, 3)
  • Long sleeve: 2 (2, 2, 2)(3, 3, 3)(3, 3, 3, 3)

SALE Cascade Ultra Pima (DK Weight – see finished projects);

  • Short sleeve: 2(3, 3, 3)(3, 3, 3)(4, 4, 4, 4)
  • Long sleeve: 3 (3, 3, 4)(4, 4, 4)(4, 5, 5, 5)

SALE Berroco Pima Soft (DK weight):

  • Short sleeve: 4(4, 4, 4)(5, 5, 5)(6, 6, 6, 6)
  • Long sleeve: 5 (5, 6, 6)(6, 7, 7)(7, 8, 8, 8)

Schoppel Zauberball Cotton (fingering weight – see finished projects):

  • Short sleeve: 1(1, 1, 2)(2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2, 2)
  • Long sleeve: 2 (2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 3, 3)

Materials

  • 5.5mm/US9 circular needles
  • 4.5mm/US7 circular needles
  • stitch markers
  • tapestry needle
  • Pattern

Quick Knit: Nanaimo Cardigan with Berroco Macro Yarn

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Nanaimo in Macro

Erica made a Nanaimo cardigan with the Berroco Macro that’s currently on Sale. I know it’s past the season for thick sweaters, but it turned out beautifully and I thought you’d want to see it (plus I know some of you can’t get into summer knits, you skip over the season and start your fall knitting as soon as you hear the word “cotton”). Erica made the XL/XXL and used 4 skeins, so I think the very thick yarn went the extra distance! Thank you Erica!

Berroco Macro is a very soft, super bulky yarn that knits up very quickly on 15mm/US19 needles. It’s been discontinued, so don’t wait on this one because it won’t be around forever, but it also means that we can provide it at a discount and share the savings.

Nanaimo is knit in the easy top-down raglan style using circular needles for a seamless simple construction. This may be the fastest sweater your ever knit!

The pattern has been updated and includes a Companion PDF for all Good Night, Day top-down sweater patterns. This guide includes instructions for adding German Short Rows, an alternative to separating and picking up sleeves, and an Italian sewn bind-off tutorial complete with photos.

Size

  • XS/S, (M/L), (XL/XXL), (XXXL)
  • finished chest approx 49.5 cm / 19.5” (56 cm / 22”), (62. 25cm / 24.5”) ( 68.5 cm / 27”) (75 cm /29.5”)
  • Body length approx 42 cm / 16.5” (46 cm / 18.5) or desired

Materials